Is Ontario Self-Driving Into Dangerous Territory?

Ontario wants to be the first Canadian province to give the thumbs up to self-driving vehicles. To that end, they are allowing the cars to be tested on public roads.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca claimed at an event at the University of Waterloo Tuesday morning that “the benefits of being part of automated vehicle innovation are clear. In order to compete, Ontario needs to be consistent with the approach of U.S. jurisdictions.”

Testing will begin January 1st of 2016, and the government is providing $500,000 to the Ontario Centres of Excellence Connected Vehicle/Automated Vehicle Program.

Ontario’s Brad Duguid, the minister of economic development, said that “we intend to be leaders in this disruptive technology.”

Is Ontario doing the right thing by getting involved with this technology? Won’t this technology spell the end of the taxi business, and potentially hurt auto manufacturing jobs, if not the whole automotive sector? Do YOU support self-driving vehicles?